WARRIORS interim coach, Norman Mapeza has denied claims that he was instructed to leave some players out of the team when he announced his squad for the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) football qualifiers against Liberia on June 11 at the National Sports Stadium.
BY HENRY MHARA
Mapeza says he did not receive any instruction on player selection from his bosses and the door was still open for the quartet and other players who did not make the list.
“For me, never, ’coz I’m not the substantive coach here. I’m just here to help these guys, so who is going to tell me not to pick this and that player? Nobody told me that,” he said.
“In this team, we have youngsters, who I think need to be given an opportunity. Cuthbert is already 33. Nyasha is almost there as well. So it’s good to give these youngsters a chance. I don’t have any problem with these guys. I have worked with them before and if I need them in the future, I will call them.”
Reports suggested that Mapeza left out former captain, Willard Katsande and three other senior players — Nyasha Mushekwi, Cuthbert Malajila and Matthew Rusike — when he announced his squad for the match last week, at the behest of Zifa president, Philip Chiyangwa.
Chiyangwa had previously been quoted in a local newspaper declaring that the four “mercenaries” would never play for the Warriors as long as he was the Zifa boss.
The quartet is accused of leading a mutiny that saw the team snubbing a send-off dinner with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the eve of the team’s departure for the Afcon finals in Gabon late last year.
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Mapeza had almost the full complement of the squad at training yesterday after the arrival of Marvellous Nakamba, Evans Rusike, Thabani Kamusoko, Kuda Mahachi and Danny Phiri.
Tendai Ndoro and George Chigova were expected in camp last night, while chief striker, Knowledge Musona, Onismor Bhasera and Khama Billiat are set to join next week after playing for their clubs at the weekend.
The Warriors coach released Caps United players from camp yesterday so they can prepare for their Caf Champions League match against Libyan side Al Ahli Tripoli tomorrow.
The rest of the squad will also be released today and they will regroup on Monday.
The players, who are accommodated at Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader Walter Magaya’s hotel, played a friendly match against the home team, Yadah yesterday, and Mapeza was impressed by his team’s performance.
“The commitment and the attitude is good. The players want to play football,” he said.
